Amazon.com
Lying open, this unutterably wonderful book is almost the size of the Mona Lisa and about as hefty as a slab of The Last Supper's monastery wall. All 34 paintings are here (including what we know of the lost ones), many with huge and immensely illuminating details, plus 663 drawings. The reproductions are stunning, on paper sturdy enough to serve as wings on some of the flying machines depicted on pages 644 to 671. The precision of the images amazes: the delicate petals fingered by the larger-than-life-size baby Jesus in Madonna of the Carnation; the wailing, dismembered victims of Leonardo's scary scythed chariots; Mary's transparent drapery in the Annunciation; the bands of sunlight streaking each swirling curl of Ginevra de Benci; Mona Lisa's gossamer veil and intricately embroidered gown; even, unless my eyes deceive me, one of the fingerprints Leonardo famously left while daubing paint by hand. The text by Frank Zollner (and Johannes Nathan, who discusses the drawings) teases out meanings and sketches historical context without overloading his scholarly brush. Without it, one might have overlooked the dim crucifix on which St. Jerome fixes his blazing gaze, and quite misunderstood the sexist Hippocratic delusions that inform The Sexual Act in Vertical Section: "A tube-like duct leads from the woman's breasts to her womb, while the male organ is directly linked not only to the testicles but also…to the brain." (Zollner's discussion of the erotic subtext of some of the artwork suggests that Leonardo's male passion was not necessarily so rational.) The brief accounts of Leonardo's esthetic combat with Michelangelo and Raphael suggest that you don't need a scythed chariot to cut off an opponent at the knees. The famous quotes by everyone from Nietzsche to Warhol are well selected, especially Freud diagnosing Leonardo's genius as residing in his childlike sense of play. That's a key to the spirit of this book: it's more fun than a week in the Louvre. -Tim Appelo
Book Description
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) possessed one of the greatest minds of all time; his importance and influence are inestimable. This XXL-format comprehensive survey is the most complete book ever made on the subject of this Italian painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, scientist and all-around genius. With huge, full-bleed details of Leonardo's masterworks, this highly original publication allows the reader to inspect the subtlest facets of his brushstrokes.
* Part I explores Leonardo's life and work in ten chapters, drawing upon his letters, contracts, diary entries, and writings. All of his paintings are presented and interpreted in depth, with The Annunciation and The Last Supper featured on fold-out pages.
* Part II comprises a catalogue raisonne of Leonardo's paintings, which covers all of his surviving and lost painted works and includes texts describing their states of preservation. Each and every painting that can be justifiably attributed to Leonardo is included here; thanks to new findings and scientific research, this is the first time his definitive painting oeuvre is being published.
* Part III contains an extensive catalogue of his drawings (numbering in the thousands, they cannot all be reproduced in one book); 663 are presented, arranged by category (architecture, technical, anatomical, figures, proportion, cartography, etc). Over half of the drawings included were provided by Windsor Castle, marking the first time that the Castle has allowed a publisher to reproduce so many of their drawings.
This sumptuous TASCHEN offering is the most thorough and beautifully produced Leonardo book ever published.
Customer Reviews:
awesome.......2007-05-07
this book is a daily source of admiration, exposed on our table and we change the page practically every day to have a new work of wonder to admire every day. combined with more and deeper information on leonardo da Vinci the true art becomes clear.
Masterful Book.......2007-04-13
I first saw this outstanding book at the Palm Springs Air Museum's Da Vinci exhibit last month. It is a comprehensive and beautiful tribute to Da Vinci's genius that young and old alike can enjoy for decades. Spending an hour glancing through its pages is a visual treat; reading it to more deeply appreciate his multiple talents will take years. Though the price of the book may seem high, it is an unique volume and worth the price.
Art Education Wouldn't Be Complete .......2007-02-08
without studying Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest Italian Renaissance artist and would-be inventor of all time. He left us a legacy of paintings, drawings, diagrams, inventions, and even sculpture for all to see. He's known more than the Mona Lisa painting, he's an inventor of sorts as well as a very fine draughtsman.
This book should be a required course for art students everywhere.
WOW what a book!.......2007-01-10
The massive size of this book is only dwarfed by the enormous amount of information it contains. Did you know Leonardo Da Vinci conceptualized the helicopter...or the x-ray machine...or even the engine???? He did indeed and it's all in this comprehensive anthem. I highly recommend this book for the Da Vinci neophyte as well as the most avid "Leo scholar" as both will be awed and amazed.
Amazing!.......2006-08-31
This book is amazing. Their are reproduction of works of Leonardo Da Vinci. Prepare some space on your bookshelves because the book is heavy and huge, but it is worth it. The reproductions are bigger than usual book on Da Vinci, and explanations are very interresting and detailed.
Average customer rating:
- Shame on Dover Art Library!
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Don't waste your money
- Digital download version is terrible
- Not very good
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Leonardo Drawings (Dover Art Library)
Leonardo da Vinci
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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Binding: Paperback
 Da Vinci, Leonardo
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Similar Items:
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Michelangelo Life Drawings (Dover Art Library)
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Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters: 100 Great Drawings Analyzed, Figure Drawing Fundamentals Defined
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ASIN: 0486239519 |
Book Description
A representative selection of Leonardo's various achievements: drawings of plants, landscapes, human face and figure, and more, as well as studies for The Adoration of the Magi, Sforza monument, The Last Supper, more. 60 illustrations.
Customer Reviews:
Shame on Dover Art Library!.......2006-11-10
Absolutely horrible print quality. Did you get these pictures from internet?
Leonardo da Vinci .......2006-04-14
Leonardo da Vinci
was an Italian Renaissance polymath:
an architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. He has been described as the archetype of the " Renaissance man" and as a universal genius, a man infinitely curious and infinitely inventive. He is also considered one of the greatest painters that ever lived.
Portrait in red chalk, circa 1512 to 1515, widely (though not universally) accepted as a genuine self-portrait.In his lifetime, Leonardo - he had no surname in the modern sense; "da Vinci" simply means "from Vinci" - was an engineer, artist, anatomist, physiologist and much more.
His full birth name was "Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci", meaning "Leonardo, of ser Piero from Vinci". Leonardo is famous for his paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, as well as for influential drawings such as the Vitruvian Man. He designed many inventions that anticipated modern technology, such as the helicopter, tank, use of solar power, the calculator, etc., though few of these designs were constructed or were feasible in his lifetime. In addition, he advanced the study of anatomy, astronomy, and civil engineering. Of his works, only a few paintings survive, together with his notebooks (scattered among various collections) containing drawings, scientific diagrams and notes.
Don't waste your money.......2006-03-17
The print quality is so low and I can hardly see anything. forget it.
Digital download version is terrible.......2005-12-07
I was very disappointed in the quality of the Adobe Reader version I downloaded. I don't know if the other reviewers were reviewing hard copy versions or digital downloads. A hard copy version might be OK, but the digital version is not worth a cent in my opinion. I was hoping to be able to make some small letter-size posters for my office at work, but the resolution was so poor I don't think any of the drawings will be usable. My recommendation is don't waste your money on the download.
Not very good.......2005-03-20
The reprints in this book are of absoultely terrible quality. If you are planning to use them as sources for drawings forget it! There are other Dover books that are better such as Sargent's. This book is of no use at all.
Book Description
The Anatomical, Physiological and Embryological Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci
With more than 1200 reproductions of drawings by the master's own hand, this book is the definitive and most complete collection of Leonardo's anatomical drawings currently in print. Here Leonardo's notebooks have been arranged according to the systems of the body in order to indicate the full extent of his anatomical work. This book will captivate curious laymen, medical professionals, and art and history enthusiasts alike. Also included are:
• Translations of Leonardo's anatomical notes which were written in his cryptic reverse handwriting. These translations provide an unusual glimpse into Leonardo's creativity and genius.
•Extensive commentary from the editors.
•A thorough background of Leonardo's life that reintroduces him to the world not just as a master artist, but as a brilliant scientist.
Book Description
The decades from 1500 to 1550 in Florence encompassed one of the most original and outstanding periods in the entire history of art. This gloriously illustrated book gathers and describes many of the beloved paintings, drawings, and sculptures created by the greatest masters of the period along with less familiar but equally beautiful and intriguing works. The contributors to the volume explore the masterpieces of Florence and challenge conventional interpretations of the evolution of this art.
The book outlines the historical context of the Florentine High Renaissance and then discusses drawings, paintings, and sculpture in turn. Focusing on major artists and their contemporaries and allies, the authors demonstrate the great importance of drawing during this period and show that there was a consistency in the brand of creativity found in such artists as Michelangelo, Fiorentino, Cellini, and Bronzino. The authors question the relevance of terms like High Renaissance and Mannerism, and they contend that, contrary to commonly held assumptions, there was no strong stylistic division between art produced in Florence before and after the death of Raphael in 1520.
Customer Reviews:
A nice collection of The Genius' drawings.......2006-09-07
Very little text, a lot of drawings. If you're looking for analytical reviews and explanations of Leonardo's art, this isn't the book for you. If you are an admirer of his incredible drawings, this IS the book you need. This volume is an oversized hardback (the copy I have is) with nice reproductions of his pencil, ink, chalk and other dry media drawings. He did way more drawings than paintings, but it seems people most often remember the Mona Lisa or the Last Supper. His anatomical drawings, horse sketches and studies, preliminary layouts for paintings, machines, drapery studies, notebook sketches and notes are here, full color (for the colors he used, like sanguine and sepia) and large enough to appreciate.
It is amazing that a of his couple head studies look very similar to MRIs I have had taken of my head. There are machine drawings for flying machines and other mechanical things that weren't to be for centuries. Detailed skeleton and organ sketches, proportional scales for anatomy, grotesque heads with great expressions. It is fascinating to see how many subjects interested him, and how well he analyzed and understood each one.
There's a lot to be learned from this book, despite minimal text. The proper human body proportions are in here, the bones and muscles and such are an excellent study of anatomy for an artist, the drapery studies, besides exhibiting great patience on his part, are an excellent exploration of shadows and lighting. It is a tremendous lesson if one were to copy a drawing of his, to see how a master drew and to learn from his pencil marks and pressure and shading.
Obviously, I highly recommend the book. It's a great price for a superb collection from this brilliant artist.
Leonardo da Vinci by Zollner -Published by Taschen.......2005-12-06
This rendition is perfect for a class project in the arts,
sciences, medicine or engineering. The work has detailed drawings
of animal anatomy, as well as patent drawings. The quality of
the presentation is comparable to a professional architect or
commercial artist. Each drawing has a considerable explanation
of the origin and artistic context of the rendition. The book
proves that Da Vinci envisioned some of today's inventions
500 or so years before they were commercialized.
The scientist Sigmund Freud said of Leonardo da Vinci:
"Indeed, the great Leonardo remained like a child for the whole
of his life in more than one way; it is said, that all great men
are bound to retain some infantile part. Even as an adult, he
continued to play, and this was another reason why he often
appeared uncanny and incomprehensible to his contemporaries."
The acquisition is well worth the price for serious students
of the arts, sciences, medicine or engineering.
Average customer rating:
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Leonardo Da Vinci: The Divine and the Grotesque
Martin Clayton , and
da Vinci Leonardo
Manufacturer: Royal Collection
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 050097618X |
Book Description
Leonardo da Vinci's studies of physiognomy, the divinely beautiful and the grotesquely ugly, are some of the most idiosyncratic and fascinating works ever produced by this archetypal genius. This book looks in detail at eighty examples of Leonardo's drawings from the unrivaled collection preserved in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, and is the first work on the subject aimed at a general audience.
In his introductory essay, Martin Clayton explores the roots of Leonardo's life-long urge to create such drawings. Individual entries look in detail at each of the selected works, placing them in the context of contemporary attitudes to beauty, notions of perfect proportion, popular images of the comically ugly, and accepted modes of artistic creation and social behavior. Among the drawings are studies for Leonardo's masterpieces such as the Last Supper and Leda and the Swan, portraits of Leonardo's associates, dissections of skulls, and designs for masks. The pursuit of beauty and its opposite was one of the central themes of Leonardo's life, and this is the first book to explore the subject fully. 105 illustrations, 80 in color.
Book Description
This work is the principal repository of da Vinci's practical thoughts on the technique of drawing and painting. It begins with precise instructions on drawing the human body and then moves on to techniques of rendering motion. Includes 48 anatomical drawings by Nicholas Poussin and geometrical and architectural designs by Leon Battista Alberti.
Book Description
The first book in an exciting new series! Many would-be artists are inspired by the works of the great masters—and Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings are among the most magnificent ever created. But how did he achieve his effects? Choose his materials? Define his approach? Susan Dorothea White, an internationally known artist and teacher, helps students gain an invaluable understanding of Da Vinci’s techniques for depicting the human form and dealing with perspective, line weight, light, shade, and character. With hundreds of images to illustrate her points, she discusses the tools he used; examines his creative techniques; analyzes some of his finest drawings in depth; and devises simple projects for practice. It’s a fantastic resource for any artist.
Customer Reviews:
Not helpful.......2007-09-25
This books will teach no one to draw Like Da Vinci, or to draw at all. I give this book one star because of Da Vinci's drawings.
Excellent Book, probably not for beginners.......2007-01-25
Excellent practice exercises and examples. I think after practicing you could draw in the manner of DaVinci.
Excellent Perspective On Da Vinci.......2006-05-05
This book is fascinating material for just about any artist who draws or paints. The techniques and skills that Da Vinci practiced and taught are highlighted here in a format that is simple to read and digest. The artist/author shows examples of how Da Vinci drew, what materials he used, and his most important techniques. There are even exercises that allow you to experience the techniques gleaned from Da Vinci. I can't imagine an artist who would not enjoy this book.
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